Entries in the Category "Career Choices"
State Court Clerkships
If you are a rising third year student now is the time to start thinking about including state clerkships in your post-graduate job search strategy – many application deadlines are this summer, and others are in the fall. State clerkships are a wonderful way to start your career and are highly regarded by legal employers.
Every year the CSO purchases the Guide to State Judicial Clerkships from Vermont Law School. The 2009 version will not be available until mid-July, but the 2008 version is available on the CSO Resources pages of blackboard.case.edu. Take a look now so that you can get an idea of application requirements, deadlines, etc. Also, we post many state clerkship opportunities on Symplicity, so be sure to check there on a regular basis.
Opportunities with the U.S. Department of Justice
The CSO recently received an email from the Department of Justice introducing some important changes to their Attorney General’s Honors Program and Summer Law Intern Program for 2008-2009. The text of their message follows:
There are exciting new developments in the Attorney General’s Honors Program and Summer Law Intern Program! Highlights include:
• An earlier application deadline and a faster review and selection process. The applications open on July 25th and close on September 2nd, 2008 (12:00 midnight Eastern time).
• Four United States Attorneys’ Offices (USAOs) and the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) are hiring approximately 16 entry-level attorneys through the Honors Program. Due to the level of responsibility held by AUSAs, these opportunities are only available to applicants who are admitted to a bar or, in some cases, who have taken a summer 2008 bar examination with results due in fall 2008. Participating USAOs are:
o The Central District of California, Los Angeles, CA
o The Southern District of California, San Diego, CA
o The Western District of Michigan, Grand Rapids, MI
o The Middle District of Florida, Orlando, FL
o EOUSA, Washington, D.C., with possible assignments nationwide
• The USAO for the District of Wyoming is participating in the Summer Law Intern Program and offering a position in either Cheyenne, WY, or in Yellowstone National park.
• The Honors Program application has been expanded to permit applicants serving in post-J.D. legal fellowships to apply online on a conditional basis.
Please visit www.usdoj.gov/oarm for more details!
The CSO also received a PowerPoint presentation detailing this information. To receive a copy of the PowerPoint, please send an email to lawjobs@case.edu
CSO Continues Employer Outreach Efforts
The academic year is drawing to a close, but, as you know, the CSO’s continues to be available to you every day from 8:30AM until 5PM. Not only that, we also continue our employer outreach efforts year-round. Interested in where we’ve been going and who we’ve been meeting? Check out the bulletin board outside the CSO where we list the employers with which we’ve met.
To date, we’ve invited more than 3,000 employers across the country to participate in our 2008 Fall Interview Program and we’ve sought to establish personal contact with hundreds of employers in various markets. During this academic year, we’ve met face-to-face with more than 100 employers to share information about the law school and to obtain information that is useful to you as you make decisions about your legal career.
We want to share what we know with you. As you continue your job search efforts, please feel free to bring a list of your target employers to the CSO. We’ll tell you what you know and point you in the right direction to get more information.
Did you miss today’s Patent Law presentation?
If you missed today’s presentation by Gene Quinn from the Practicing Law Institute, you missed some great information about the patent bar exam as well as “insider’s tips” on preparing for and conducting a patent law job search. Fortunately, though, your friendly CSO staffer was there taking notes! Mr. Quinn’s advice for students included the following:
• Networking is crucially important in the patent law field. He encouraged students to get out and talk to people, attend meetings and social events, and attend CLEs. (PLI actually offers student “scholarships” to their patent CLE programs, allowing students to attend for only $25. To learn more, email mdighton@pli.edu.)
• A patent law resume should not look exactly like a typical law school resume for a general practice firm or public service organization. A patent law resume should highlight experience (including patents held and articles published) wherever possible. In the case of students with extensive previous experience, a resume that looks more like a CV is acceptable.
• Employer research is critical. You must know how to position yourself to each employer’s specialties and needs. You must research what scientific areas an employer specializes in and make sure that your background matches their needs and clientele.
• Don’t be shy about providing detailed information on your resume about your past experience, including detailed descriptions of what you’ve done in the past, what programs/technologies you’ve worked with, etc. Patent law firms are unique in that the person reviewing your resume will almost always be a person with a hard science background as well. This means that the usual rule of avoiding technical language or industry jargon doesn’t always apply when applying for patent law opportunities.
Stop by the CSO to pick up some extra handouts from the session, and please direct any questions you may have to a CSO counselor.
Interested in the East Coast? Consider Rhode Island.
Are you interested in living on the East Coast, but not quite sure that you want to practice law in cities like Boston, New York, or DC? Are you looking for a livable city with an interesting legal practice? Consider Providence, Rhode Island.
An hour train ride from Boston, Providence has its own set of legal employers – small firms, large firms, public interest, and government. The CSO visited some of these employers last week and Providence was described as a city where sophisticated legal work is done for sophisticated clients who all just like being in Providence. While salaries might not be the same as those in larger markets, attorneys in Providence say that work-life balance and the ability to quickly integrate into the legal community can sometimes balance that out.
Even better, Providence is a city familiar with Case Western Reserve University School of Law – a quick search on Martindale-Hubbell shows that we have at least 24 alums in Providence. So if you’re thinking about the East Coast, but looking for a market that’s different from some of the larger cities, start networking with Case Western Reserve alums in Providence to find out if it is a good place for you.
State Court Judicial Clerkships
When thinking about post-graduate opportunities, please be sure to consider state court judicial clerkships. Working as a judicial clerk for a state court can provide recent graduates with the opportunity to strengthen their legal skills while developing relationships within the legal community. Unfortunately, because the application process is not centralized, it can be difficult and confusing to identify opportunities and submit applications. The CSO has a must-see resource available to help you understand and navagate the state court judicial clerkship recruiting process.
Vermont Law School has compiled general information, by court, in its annual Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures. The guide is organized by state and lists pertinent information for judicial clerkship application procedures in each court. The CSO has a copy of this guide available to students in the resource room, and students may also access the guide through the CSO link on Blackboard. Please note that some courts begin accepting applications from students as early as the spring of their second year of law school! Please feel free to stop by the CSO with any questions!
Legal Careers with the Office of Chief Counsel, ATF
The CSO Resource Room offers brochures and career information from the Office of Chief Counsel, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The ATF offers many exciting and challenging career opportunities, both for summer and permanent employment. The brochures are available for you to take in the Government section of the Resource Room.
ATF is a component of the Department of Justice and is responsible for implementing and enforcing the Federal firearms and explosives laws. ATF Headquarters attorneys practice in the areas of employment law, litigation, criminal law, disclosure and forfeiture, and administrative law. They are also involved in reviewing and drafting legislation that is relevant to the agency and the DOJ. Field attorneys are located in 25 field offices throughout the country and provide legal advice on criminal investigations, assist United States Attorneys’ Offices in prosecuting firearms and explosives cases, and conduct administrative hearings to revoke Federal firearms and explosives licenses and permits.
More detailed information can be found on the National Association for Law Placement website, www.nalp.org.
ATF hires recent law graduates through the DOJ Honors Program and hires law student interns during the summer. Interested students can apply for paid internships through the Department’s Summer Law Internship Program and can apply directly to ATF for volunteer internship opportunities. Application requirements for internship programs are outlines in the brochures available in the CSO.
Internships for Law Students
No matter what area of law you are interested in, be sure to check out Internships-USA for information on opportunities in human rights, sports, environmental, and educational law, just to name a few!
Check out the hard copy resources in the resource room for contact information for firms, prosecutor's offices, and state and federal judges. The online version also contains direct links to over 200 legal job search sites.
To access all of this information, either stop by the resource room or log in to Blackboard for the login and password to the site. Click on Job Search Links and the login and password are in the second listing. If you have questions about this site or any other resource listed on Blackboard please email or stop in to chat with a counselor.
Clerkships and Fellowships
While searching for summer or permanent employment, consider applying for clerkships or fellowships. Fellowship opportunities generally are focused on a particular legal issue or clientele and offer opportunities for in-depth research and multi-faceted practice, often involving legal representation and other activities such as public education and policy-making. For post-graduate positions, these positions tend to be one- or two-year term positions, sometimes with the possibility of permanent employment with the firm or organization upon completion of the fellowship.
Clerkships are also a great way to spend your summer or first year or two post-graduation as they provide an in-depth, first-hand view of legal system from the eyes of the judicial branch. Judicial clerks have the opportunity to develop outstanding research and writing skills while receiving exposure to varied legal issues, and making connections with numerous members of the legal community. Clerkships are available every summer and every year with city, county, state, and federal judges across the country and are widely considered an excellent stepping stone to leadership positions with the government, large law firms, and non-profit organizations.
Check Symplicity for current clerkship and fellowship opportunities that have been submitted by employers for posting. The CSO also maintains several binders in the Resource Room containing information and application materials for clerkships and fellowships, so be sure to stop in and take a look through them! For more information about clerkships or fellowships, stop in or make an appointment to speak with a counselor.
3Ls: Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program
The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program is designed to attract to the Federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs.
This rigorous two-year paid program includes 80 hours of formal classroom training each year, challenging assignments, accelerated promotions, developmental learning, and networking opportunities. Fellows are hired by Federal Agencies and given exposure to domestic and international issues in such areas as public administration, technology, science, criminal justice, health and financial management, to name a few. Three Case Western Reserve University School of Law Class of 2007 graduates and two Class of 2006 graduates are currently serving as Fellows through this program!
The PMF Program seeks graduate students who want to make a difference through public service. Students who complete a graduate degree (master’s, law, or doctoral-level degree) during the 2007-2008 academic year (September 1, 2007 - August 31, 2008) are eligible to be nominated by their schools. Selection begins with the nomination of the student by the school followed by a rigorous assessment process. Application, nomination, and selection information is available online at https://www.pmf.opm.gov.
Important, please read carefully:
Between Tuesday, November 20 and 11:59:59 pm EST on Tuesday, December 4, complete and submit the online application (the vacancy announcement and online application is at www.usajobs.gov). After submitting the online application, you will print a copy of the Nomination Form.
However, you must submit the nomination form to the Career Services Office. There is a procedure for submitting your form to the CSO so you must be certain to speak with a CSO staff member when dropping off your nomination form. The CSO will coordinate with the Dean on the nomination process. The Nomination Official has until December 16 to nominate students.
In addition, if you have any questions about this program or the application process, please ask me or someone else in the CSO! This is a terrific program!
International Tax Guest Blogger
Periodically throughout the year the CSO will be posting blog entries from guest bloggers about various topics. Please note that the views expressed by our guest bloggers are the personal opinion of each blogger and are not necessarily the views and opinions of the CSO. The CSO guest blogger entries are intended as an opportunity for attorneys currently practicing in the legal field to share their insight and advice with law students.
To conclude International Law Theme Week, our third guest blogger of the year, Charles Hong (class of 2002), shares his advice on choosing a career in international tax.
Choosing a Career in International Tax
By Charles Hong, Class of 2002
Like many of you, I had little idea of what international tax entailed while in law school. All I knew was that I enjoyed tax and wanted to pursue a career in Tax law (this after taking Professor Jensen's Federal Income Tax Course (which I recommend for anyone interested in Tax law)). I learned about international tax while earning my LLM. After taking an international tax course, I developed a strong interest and desire to practice international tax. Not only was the subject matter interesting (if you're the type of person who finds tax interesting) but I also felt the need for international tax practitioners would increase over time with economic globalization.
And to some degree, it's been true. With economic globalization, foreign investments have increased significantly. Accordingly, international tax practitioners are asked to analyze or assist in creating and implementing global business structures. Thus as an international tax practitioner, one often utilizes the advantages of various non-US tax regimes for the benefit of the client in creating and implementing these investment structures. All the while, we have to be mindful of the US tax rules and how the foreign investment structure will be treated from a US tax law perspective. As a result, there is this constant balancing act that a tax practitioner must perform in advising on any foreign investment structure. However, a tax practitioner's job doesn't necessarily end with structuring a foreign investment.
At the end of the day tax is about numbers (i.e. dollars) and so it is also important that a tax practitioner can work with numbers. But in addition to being able to work in numbers, one has to be able to explain and interpret these numbers in the context of US and foreign tax law but more importantly the numbers need to make sense from a business perspective. And this combination is also what makes international tax (and tax in general) so complex and interesting. But it's this exercise, in my opinion, that really helps an international tax practitioner learn and apply the rules.
For those readers who are still interested in international tax after reading this, I have one last comment to make. You have to enjoy tax. The issues and topics can be esoteric and nebulous and unless you're willing to work at it, it can be very mind numbing. Tax isn't very glamorous. Often times, you will find yourself working quietly at your desk researching and reading. And it may require looking over a large set of materials before finding an answer that might take only a few sentences to write. You may also find yourself reviewing tax returns and calculations when analyzing a transaction or addressing a client's question.
As for starting a career in international tax, it is important to know that not many firms have an exclusive international tax practice. You may be asked to be a general tax practitioner and over time develop an expertise in international tax. And if are able to join a firm with an international tax department, you may have to spend some time learning domestic tax before getting to specialize in international tax. However, if you can join an international tax department directly out of school, definitely consider it. In addition, some of you should consider accounting firms to begin your career. Although there are some drawbacks, it does provide a setting to get some real good international tax experience.
And one last misconception I want to clear up for those considering international tax, is that by practicing international tax doesn't necessarily mean that you will be traveling around the world discussing business transactions. Initially, you may log more frequent flyer miles traveling to get a cup of coffee during the middle of your day then flying to another country. So international tax is not like joining the Navy--if you know what I mean.
Lastly, if you're STILL interested in practicing tax law after reading this, you should also visit with the tax professors at Case. They are all great resources. And if you happen to visit Professor Jensen be sure to talk about the Cleveland Indians but don't talk about game 7 of this year's ALCS.
Government Internships: General Overview
As you continue your search for summer employment (or, if you are a 1L, as you start your search for summer employment), the CSO wants to remind you not to forget about government internships. True, many government internships may be unpaid. However, you will not want to overlook these opportunities just based on what they may or may not pay -- unpaid opportunities are a great way to obtain legal experience and network with government attorneys. Overall, government internships can provide you with legal experience that you simply cannot get anywhere else and often lead to a rewarding public service career.
The United States Government is the largest legal employer in the world. Hiring for federal government positions varies by agency. Some federal government employers only hire using a competitive “Honors Program” process in which the agency uses strict application guidelines, criteria, and deadlines. The Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, and the Environmental Protection Agency are all examples of federal government employers that hire using an Honors Program. For agencies with Honors Programs, applications are generally accepted from 2Ls and 3Ls early in the fall semester for summer or permanent positions.
Other agencies hire full time attorneys as needed and hire paid and unpaid interns without using a specific Honors Program process. Some agencies that have an Honors Program also have unpaid positions available for 1Ls and 2Ls. For example, although the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), within the Department of Justice, hires paid summer interns through a highly competitive recruitment program, volunteer legal positions are also available to interested students and the deadline to apply for an unpaid summer internship with the ATF is February 1.
There are a variety of resources in the Career Services Offices that will help you learn more about employment opportunities with the federal government. The first resource to look at is the Government Honors & Internship Handbook 2007-2008. The website link, log-in, and password for this resource are listed on Blackboard and a paper copy is available in the CSO. This resource will help you identify the application process for all different types of federal government internships – paid, unpaid, Honors Program, etc. – as well as state and local government internships.
You may also want to read through NALP’s Federal Legal Employment Opportunities Guide at: http://www.nalp.org/assets/859_0708fedlegalempguide.pdf (or in paper copy in the CSO). Two other websites that might be helpful are http://www.studentjobs.gov/ , a website specifically for students seeking federal internships and http://www.studentjobs.gov/agencies.asp , a website that provides detailed information about employment opportunities within various federal government agencies.
Also remember that many summer internship opportunities are available at the state and local government level. These can range from work with a State Attorney General’s Office, work with a State Legislature, or work within other state agencies. Many local prosecutor and defender offices also accept law students as volunteer interns for the summer. You can often find opportunities at state and local government organizations simply by checking out the organization’s website. As noted above, state and local government positions also appear in the Government Honors & Internship Handbook 2007-2008. Keep an eye on Simplicity too because postings from state and local government employers will also appear there.
A list of additional government-related websites is also available on Blackboard. In addition, there is a section in the CSO Resource Room devoted to government opportunities and we also have several packets with the contact information for local and state government agencies available. Please stop by the CSO to check out all of the resources available for your government job search or if you have specific questions you’d like to discuss.
Thomson West Internship and Career Presentation
Are you interested in learning more about legal internships and alternative legal careers at Thomson West? Representatives from Thomson West will be discussing the Content Legal Internship Program and alternative legal careers with the company on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at noon. Come listen to representatives discuss opportunities available to students and graduates. See the attached flyer for additional information.
When: Wednesday, November 7 at 12:00 pm
Where: Room A57
Lunch will be provided!
Update on Employer Outreach
As you may have read in this week’s The Docket, the CSO does aggressive outreach to employers in the markets where you want to work. Since July 2007, we’ve visited employers in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and, of course, Cleveland. And this month our Director of Employer Outreach will be traveling to meet with employers in Charlotte, Raleigh, Baltimore, and DC.
Please take a moment to check out the list of specific employers we’ve met with, which is posted on the bulletin board outside the CSO. We’ve included our list of meetings from the 2005-06 and 2006-07 school years and the list of employers we have met between July and October of this year.
This list is posted so you can see exactly where we are going and who we are talking with. Remember that the information that we obtain in outreach meetings is for you. So stop by the CSO and schedule a meeting with a counselor to find out what we know. And, if you have suggestions about markets or employers where you’d like us to do more outreach, please let our Director of Employer Outreach know.
Judicial Clerkships -- Helpful Websites
In addition to the Federal Law Clerk Information System https://lawclerks.ao.uscourts.gov/ and the Online System for Clerkship Application and Review (OSCAR) https://oscar.symplicity.com there are a number of informative websites for students interested in judicial clerkships. These include:
Debra Strauss's Judicial Clerkships website for application questions: www.judicialclerkships.com.
FindLaw's Greedy Clerks web board, with postings from former, current, and prospective clerks: www.infirmation.com/bboard/clubs.tcl?topic=Greedy%20Clerks.
The Clerkship Notification Blog: http://tcnb2006.blogspot.com/.
Employment Patterns - Minorities, Men & Women
According to the National Association for Law Placement, graduate employment data since 1982 shows that, historically, women and minorities are less likely to take jobs in firms and more likely to take jobs in the public sector (government or public interest). However, Class of 2006 employment data shows a deviation from this generual rule: non-minority and minority graduates were equally likely to be employed in the public sector. Some additional data:
* Compared to men, women from the Class of 2006 were less likely to enter private practice and more likely to accept positions in the public sector or as judicial clerks. However, the difference was narrower than in previous years.
* Compared with men going into private practice, women are somewhat more likely to take jobs in firms of more than 100 lawyers, and somewhat less likely to take jobs in very small firms of 2-10 lawyers.
* Minorities also enter private practice less frequently than do non-minorities. However, the three percentage point differential in 2006 is well below the almost 16 percentage point difference in 1982.
* Minorities entering private practice are more likely to obtain jobs in firms of more than 100 laywers than are non-minorities. The share of jobs in large firms has generally increased for both groups from 1982 to 2006.
* Compared to non-minorities, minorities historically have been more likely to take jobs in public service positions and as judicial clerks. However, in 2006, the percentage was nearly equal.
(This information is taken from the NALP Bulletin, August 2007 edition.)
Large Law Firms & Opportunities for Pro Bono Work
If you are worried that by joining a large law firm you won't be able to commit real time to pro bono work, think again. According to the July 2007 issue of The American Lawyer, last year nearly 40% of the lawyers in the
Am Law 200did at least 20 hours of pro bono work -- in 2000, the figure was just 29%. In 2006 the
Am Law 200firms performed about 4.2 million hours, an increase of about 480,000 hours from the year before.
State Clerkships
Now is the time to start thinking about including state clerkships in your post-graduate job search strategy – many application deadlines are this summer, and others are in the fall. State clerkships are a wonderful way to start your career and are highly regarded by legal employers. Every year we purchase the Guide to State Judicial Clerkships from Vermont Law School. The 2008 version will not be available until mid-July, but the 2007 version is available on the CSO Resources pages of blackboard.case.edu. Take a look now so that you can get an idea of application requirements, deadlines, etc. Also, we post many state clerkship opportunities on Symplicity, so be sure to check there on a regular basis.
Careers in Career Counseling
Believe it or not, every year a few students ask those of us in the CSO how we got in to this field, and how they might do so. We love our jobs, so we can understand why you might consider it as an appealing career option! And with more and more students thinking about non-traditional legal careers early in their careers, the questions are becoming more frequent. Here are a few suggestions if you are thinking about this field for the immediate future, or even a few years down the road:
* Conduct informational interviews with your CSO staff, or the CSO staff at a law school in the area in which you intend to live and work. People are happy to tell you how they entered this field, what their work is like, and how to find out about opportunities.
* Get involved in your law school or undergraduate institution. Demonstrated interest in higher education goes a long way. Interview prospective students or volunteer your time to the alumni office.
* If you are going to work in a firm or other more traditional legal employer, get involved in recruiting.
* Whenever friends look for a new job, volunteer to review their resumes and cover letters.
* Think about the qualities most CSO administrators will look for in prospective hires: flexible, hard-working, empathetic, patient, positive, organized, calm under pressure, adaptable, ability to generate new ideas, ability to juggle many tasks and interruptions, and more.
* Check out www.nalp.org. It has current CSO job openings, NALP Directory of Law Schools so you can see the size and structure of various CSOs, sample job descrptions, and a great resource called Perspectives on Career Services which we also house in the CSO.
Government Agencies Are Hiring
According to the February 2007 FedJobs Career Chat (Federal Research Service), several agencies are very busy hiring! In particular, the Defense Intelligence Agency, U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Transportation Security Administration, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been on a "hiring spree" or will be soon. Be sure to utilize www.usajobs.gov and www.fedjobs.com (access through CSO Resources on blackboard.case.edu -- password required) in your job search -- especially 3Ls.
The Defense Intelligence Agency is looking to hire 1,000 new employers this year, and most positions are located in Washington, DC. Intelligence analysts are among the positions they are trying to fill. Something to note is that every DIA applicant must be able to obtain a Top Secret security clearance.
The Patent & Trademark office will hire 1,200 new employees, including patent examiners, each year during the next five years.
Intellectual Property Law Theme Week
Considering a career in Intellectual Property? Be sure to check out the following events:
Tuesday, February 6
Intellectual Property Resources Table – Learn about the resources available for your intellectual property job search.
Upper Rotunda, 12:00 -1:00 pm
Wednesday, February 7
Intellectual Property Career Panel co-sponsored by the Student Intellectual Property Law Association – Hear attorneys discuss their practice in the field of intellectual property.
Room A57, 12:00 -1:00 pm ***Pizza will be served***
Thursday, February 8
Student Intellectual Property Panel – Learn how your classmates found their summer positions in intellectual property, the types of employers they worked for, and the types of assignments they worked on. Panelists who participated in the Annual Patent Law Interview Program in Chicago last year will also discuss their experiences with the program.
Room A57, 12:00 -1:00 pm ***Pizza will be served***
Military Opportunities
Interested in exploring the JAG Corps? How about General Counsel or civilian positions in the military? The CSO now has information handouts available to students containing loads of information on legal opportunities in the Navy, Army, Marines, Air Force & Coast Guard. Each military branch has its own unique requirements and deadlines, so stay on top of things by picking up your information handout today!
Careers in Environmental Law
There are a number of different practice settings available to students interested in environmental law careers. When someone says they want to be an environmental lawyer, one may first think of working for a public interest or advocacy organization. But environmental lawyers work for firms representing corporations and industries that must follow environmental regulations. They also work for government agencies to develop and enforce regulations. And they also work with corporations to help them comply with environmental laws.
If you are contemplating a career in environmental law, these are the skills cited as most important, according to The Official Guide to Legal Specialties by Lisa L. Abrams, which is available in the CSO: creative problem-solving skills, writing skills, interest in and understanding of science, willingness to learn new things, negotiation and advocacy skills, and interpersonal skills.
Also, here are things for you to try to do in law school if you have an interest in environmental law: take courses in environmental and administrative law, participate in moot court, try to secure a judicial clerkship, participate in the judicial externship program, volunteer for environmental organizations, join relevant sections of various bar associations
Small & Medium Firm Lists Available in CSO
If you are targeting small- and mid-size firms in your job search, keep in mind that the Career Services Office has compiled a number of lists of small and medium firms to help you get started! These are available in hard copy in the CSO, and also through blackboard.case.edu.
We have lists for the following cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland & Akron, Columbus, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
What to do if you want to practice in-house one day --
Most legal departments do not hire entry-level attorneys; most lawyers practicing in-house have practice experience, whether from a firm or government agency. Some company legal departments will hire entry-level candidates, but often only for a specific niche for which the candidate brings particular experience; most in-house hiring is lateral.
However, to build your resume for a future lateral move or to try to secure the occasional entry-level position, there are a number of things you can do to position yourself. Some ideas:
1. During law school, work during the summer and/or school year in an in-house legal department. Some very large legal departments may extend permanent offers to some summer clerks. At the very least -- and this is alot -- you will get some valuable experience, references, and the opportunity to build a more impressive resume.
2. Take courses that would appeal to many corporate legal departments, including Business Associations, Tax, Commercial Law, Secured Transactions, Finance, Bankruptcy, Administrative, Labor & Employment, Securities, International Business Transactions, Real Estate, clinic, and more.
3. As a practicing attorney, develop an expertise in relevant areas of law (seek out work in general corporate and commercial matters), develop a solid reputation among clients and colleagues, and get to know in-house attorneys.
4. Network, network, network!
Looking for a Federal Job?
If you are interested in a federal career, make plans to review a copy of The Student's Federal Career Guide, 10 Steps to Find and Win Top Government Jobs and Internships, by Kathryn Kraemer Troutman and Emily K. Troutman. The book contains tips on finding job openings and internships, writing a federal resume and supporting documents, and timing and strategy for effective follow up on applications. Also included with the book is a CD with sample federal application components including KSA's and cover letters. The Federal Career Guide is available for you to borrow in the CSO Resource Room along with many other government job resources.
Interested in Sports Law Careers?
In the CSO we are often asked about opportunities in Sports Law. Lawyers work in the sports industry in several capacities, including providing legal representation to teams, serving as agents for players, and working in management positions for sports teams. Some of these positions require a law degree, while the degree is helpful but not required for others. One of the most important steps to take if you are interested in this practice area is to start networking. Two resources in the CSO resource room that ca help you do this are our Sports Law Handout and the Sports Internship Book. The handout includes a list of law firms with sports practice groups, sports management firms, and sports marketing firms throughout the country. It also includes Case School of Law alumni who practice sports law, as well as information about sports law bar associations. The Sports Internship Book, published by the Career Education Institute, details internship opportunities with teams around the country.
If You Want to be a Litigator...
If you are a 2L and are thinking about pursuing a career in litigation, you may want to target either prosecutor or public defender offices in your summer job search. While criminal law may not be your cup of tea, many states across the country allow students who have completed 2 years of law school (and have taken evidence) to represent clients in front of a judge in non-felony cases. For example, the District Attorney’s Office in Multnomah County, OR (Portland, OR area) allows clerks to handle their own docket after only a few days of training. In this particular program, each clerk will handle at least two jury trials and about six bench trials during the summer.
There are similar programs at the Cuyahoga County Public Defender’s Office and the Alleghany County Public Defender’s Office, just to name a few. If you want to be a litigator, the experience gained in these programs is unmatched. If you have any questions, please contact a career counselor in the CSO.
Are You Thinking of Starting Your Own Law Practice?
At some point in your legal career, whether now or in the future, you may want to consider the option of starting your own law practice. This option is especially appealing to entrepreneurial students/lawyers who prefer to be their own boss. As with any business, there are many factors that need to be considered before opening the doors to potential clients.
If you would like to explore this possibility, the CSO has an excellent resource titled "How to Start and Build a Law Practice" by Jay Foonberg. This book is published in conjunction with the Law Practice Management Section of the American Bar Association.
So You Want to Practice Public Interest Law?
According to The Official Guide to Legal Specialties: An Insider’s Guide to Every Major Practice Area, by Lisa L. Abrams, J.D., the following skills are most important to public interest lawyers:
• Passion for public service
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Oral advocacy skills
• Patience
• Tenacity and resourcefulness
• Foreign language skills
• Ability to cope with crises
• Organizational and time management skills
• Sense of humor
And public interest lawyers recommend that law students take the following classes and get the following types of experience if they want to pursue public interest law:
• A wide range of classes, including family, immigration, contracts, civil procedure, real estate, tax, evidence, bankruptcy, wills and trusts, and criminal law – as well as classes that focus on your areas of interest
• Public interest internships
• Leadership in the school’s public interest organizations
• Community service
• Network with public interest lawyers
• Become familiar with the salary ranges in the public interest sector
The Public Interest Law chapter of The Official Guide to Legal Specialties can be found on pages 347-366, and this terrific book is available in our resource room!
So You Are Interested in Practicing Labor & Employment Law?
The traditional practice of labor law focuses on the interactions between workers and employers, especially in a unionized setting. Employment law practice includes advocating the client's interest (whether the employee or employer) in cases where civil rights violations are alleged.
According to The Official Guide to Legal Specialties: An Insider’s Guide to Every Major Practice Area, by Lisa L. Abrams, J.D., the following skills are most important to labor & employment lawyers:
• Excellent writing skills
• Effective interpersonal communication skills
• Comfort working with difficult people
• Oral advocacy skills
• Tenacity
Labor & employment lawyers recommend that law students take the following classes and get the following types of experience if they want to pursue this area of law:
• Labor & employment classes
• Trial advocacy classes and moot court
• Undergraduate classes in speech and communication
• Law journals & other writing competitions
• Intern/clerk in the field
• Work as a judicial law clerk or extern
• Participate in bar association activities with the labor & employment law section
• Join any related student groups
• Keep up on relevant cases and issues
The Labor & Employment Law chapter of The Official Guide to Legal Specialties can be found on pages 291-305, and is available in our resource room!
So you want to practice family law?
According to The Official Guide to Legal Specialties: An Insider’s Guide to Every Major Practice Area, by Lisa L. Abrams, J.D., the following skills are most important to family lawyers:
• The ability to empathize with the problems of others
• The ability to remain objective
• Counseling skills
• Patience
• Negotiation skills
• The ability to think on one’s feet
And family lawyers recommend that law students take the following classes and get the following types of experience if they want to pursue family law:
• Family law and business law classes
• Develop strong writing skills
• Trial advocacy
• Clerk for a family law attorney or firm
• Clinical experience
• Network with family law attorneys
Thinking About Alternative Careers? Then Assess Your Transferable Skills
If you are thinking about pursuing alternative or non-traditional legal careers, you may be concerned about how – as a law student or law graduate – to market yourself to employers. One way to do this is by emphasizing transferable skills. Transferable skills are the skills and abilities you possess that you can utilize in a legal, non-traditional, or alternative career. The most important of these to consider are the ones you feel most positive about, enjoy the most and plan to utilize again. Many questions about your success in law school, your seriousness about the position you are applying for, and about how you and your candidacy will be presented to other members of the organization will need to be addressed early in the interviewing process. If you have not prepared for these questions by assessing your transferable skills and understanding the needs of the employer, you will not be perceived as a viable candidate for the position. The following are just a few examples of transferable skills, which you should utilize to your advantage:
• Ability to Analyze Facts
• Ability to Work in Teams or Groups
• Ability to Work with Little Supervision
• Awareness of Risks
• Counseling
• Familiarity with Legal Terminology
• Independent Thinking
• Negotiation Skills
• Persuasiveness
• Presentation Skills
• Research Skills
• Writing Ability
Law, Technology & the Arts Opportunities
Here at Case we are fortunate to have the Center for Law, Technology, and the Arts. The Center brings top-notch professors, outstanding course offerings, and interesting speakers and programs. In addition to taking advantage of all the Center has to offer, students are encouraged to consider an internship in the field.
For students interested in Law & Technology, job opportunities often revolve around the patent side of intellectual property, either through patent prosecution or patent litigation with a law firm. A large number of firms with intellectual property practices participate in our interview programs here at Case. In addition, we facilitate participation of our students in the Patent Law Interview Program hosted by Loyola Law School every August. For students looking for non-firm opportunities, we have also had students work at the Case Technology Transfer Office and the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.
Students who are interested in pursuing Law & the Arts opportunities will want to consider an internship with an arts organization. Past student internships have included Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (various cities), 3 Arts Entertainment (Los Angeles), the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Cleveland), and NBC-Universal's Legal Department (Los Angeles).
The CSO has several resources to help locate opportunities in this area. These include the Law, Technology & the Arts Binder and the Patent Law Binder in the CSO resource room. Also, be sure to check the resources listed on the CSO website and blackboard course.
Health Law Opportunities
Do you have an interest in Health Law Careers? The practice of health care law can take many different and interesting forms. The Official Guide to Legal Specialties published by the National Association for Law Placement contains an excellent chapter on the practice of Health Care law that you are strongly encouraged to review. (There are copies of the book in the general career section in the Career Services Office Resource Room). According to the book, the majority of health care lawyers practice in law firms. Many large to midsized firms have a department specializing in health care law. In addition to law firms, Health Law attorneys work for a variety of other employers including government agencies, health systems, and non-profit organizations.
Another way to explore Health Law careers is through a series of Health Law career events hosted by the CSO throughout the week of September 25. Events will include a panel discussion, networking reception, and resource table. The CSO also maintains a series of Health Law binders to help you locate health law employers, alumni practicing health law, health law graduate programs, and other resources.
If you find your ideal Health Law employer but determine that they don't have funding to pay summer interns, don't despair! Keep in mind that Case's Law-Medicine Center provides summer stipends for unpaid or underpaid Health Law work. Past stipend recipients have worked at a variety of organizations including advocacy groups in Washington, DC and New York City, the Vermont Medical Society, UNAIDS, the World Health Organzation, and the Office of Legal Counsel of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities.
Come in to the CSO to explore this exciting area of the law. And don't forget one of our greatest resources here at Case, our Professors. We are lucky to have an outstanding Health Law faculty that can advise you in this area.
Looking for an opportunity in International Law?
Are you interested in securing a summer or permanent position in the international field? Case law students have had a lot of great experiences in international law with the help of the Cox International Law Center. The Cox Center offers stipends to students who secure international law related internships. Some of the experiences that students had this past summer include:
• The Association of Defense Counsel, International Criminal
Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, The Hague, The Netherlands
• Law firms in Greece and Brussels, Belgium
• The International Trade Centre, Geneva, Switzerland
• The International Consortium for Law & Development, Boston, MA
• The International Bar Association, London, UK
• International Criminal Court, The Hague, The Netherlands
• Amnesty International, Washington, D.C.
• U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C.
In addition, there will be numerous international opportunities posted on E-attorney. Websites like pslawnet.org are also great places to find jobs with non-profit and government agencies. The CSO has a number of great international related resources and you can see a complete list on the website and can access additional resources in the International Law section of the CSO Blackboard course. A few of the resources available in hard copy in the CSO include the Official Guide to Legal Specialties, Careers in International Law, the Opportunities in International Law Binder, and ABA International Internships. And don’t forget that your professors are invaluable resources when researching careers in the international field.
If you want to work in international law but are not sure where to start your job search come see us in the CSO! Sarah, Alyson, and Kelli are happy to meet with you to talk about your specific goals and the opportunities and resources mentioned above. (If you are a first year, we look forward to getting to know you and helping you reach your job goals after November 1st!)
Consider Working for the Government
There are a lot of reasons to consider working for the government – personal satisfaction from serving the public, life/work balance, intellectual challenge, no need to engage in business development, the chance to learn by doing, and good salary and benefits. And there are many types of jobs to choose from. For the federal government you could work with the Department of Justice, including a U.S. Attorney’s Office; various federal agencies such as the IRS, SEC, or HUD; Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program; military JAG; federal clerkship; federal public defender; and more. At the state level consider clerkships, offices of attorneys general, public defenders, and a myriad of state agencies. And at the local level there are prosecutor offices, city law departments, school districts, public defenders, and other local agencies.
The good news is that many of these employers participate in our on-campus, off-campus, resume collect, and resume direct programs. Lots of these opportunities are posted on eAttorney. Application processes and timelines vary, and deadlines range from early fall to late spring. Some want the traditional application materials like resumes, cover letters, and transcripts, and others require that you apply online. Keep an eye on eAttorney, websites of agencies of interest to you, and come to the office to see some of our resources including the 2006-2007 Government Honors & Internship Handbook. It can take time to secure a position with the government – sometimes background checks are required.
Remember that government employers are looking for candidates with knowledge of and experience in relevant practice areas, a commitment to public service, strong research and writing skills, interpersonal skills, and an understanding of the particular agency’s mission. And while you are in law school, take a wide range of classes including substantive law courses; take classes in your areas of interest and that are relevant to government practice; gain solid research and writing skills; take advantage of opportunities to develop trial and advocacy skills; try to get into a clinic your third year; get government experience during the summer and school year; and network with government attorneys.
Another plus – some federal agencies provide loan repayment assistance!!! Go to http://www.opm.gov/oca/pay/StudentLoan/HTML/QandAs.asp.
Judicial Clerkships: Why and How
One of the most interesting ways to start a legal career is to work with a judge on the federal or state level for a year or two after graduation as a judicial law clerk. Many former clerks look upon their clerkships as a highlight of their legal careers.
Now is the time for third year students to apply for clerkships on both the federal and state level. The date to mail federal applications is next week - September 5, 2006! Many state courts are also in the process of hiring next year's clerks.
The CSO has several excellent clerkship resources including Behind the Bench, a guide to the clerkship process, and The Vermont Guide to State Clerkships.
First and second year students have an opportunity to preview the judicial clerkship experience through Case's Federal Externship Program. This program, coordinated by Professor Leatherberry, places students as externs in the chambers of federal judges during their first summer or second or third year of law school.